Shovel

ABSTRACT

A generally rectangular flap is pivotally connected to the blade of a shovel near its front terminal edge, with the longitudinal edge of the flap opposite the pivot being slightly upturned. As the shovel is thrust forward through a media, such as snow, the flap is pivoted flush upon the shovel blade, and when the shovel is pulled rearwardly the media on the blade raises the flap to a raised locked position at right angles to the blade to entrain the media on the blade for removal, particularly from beneath an object.

llnited States Patent [191 Keller Jan. 8, 1974 SHOVEL 285,693 9/1883Shinabery 294 49 3 659 888 5 1972 Dreier.....

[76] inventor: Josef Koller, 8069 All am Algen, 3372496 3 1968 L 294 3 5X Uber pfaffenhofenmm e y aw |s.... l5

[22] Filed; Jan, 12, 1972 Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Appl. No.:217,319

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 14, 1971 Germany G 71 01 221.0

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Brady 294/49 AssistantExaminer]ohnny D. Cherry Att0r'neyRupert .1. Brady et a].

[57] ABSTRACT blade to entrain the media on the blade for removal,

particularly from beneath an object.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 SHOVEL This invention relates to a shovelsuitable, in particular, for digging out snowbound vehicles on roadscovered by snowdrifts.

It is conventional, for digging out vehicles on snowdrift-covered roads,to shovel the snow out from underneath the chassis of the vehicle, forexample to convey the snow toward the edge of the road, and then toscatter sand on the road in front of the wheels. Quite apart from thefact that this type of snow removal is very time-consuming andtroublesome, this mode of operation fails extensively if the chassissits on the snow. This disadvantage is eliminated in a simple manner bythe present invention.

The invention resides essentially in that a flap which can be pivotedfrom the rear in the upward direction into a locking position isprovided at the front edge of a shovel. In this case, it is merelynecessary to push the shovel along the ground between the wheels intothe part of the snowdrift covered by the chassis, and then to pull theshovel back. The flap, which is raised up when the shovel is pulledback, entrains a considerable portion of the snow present underneath thechassis and frees the vehicle within a few minutes for-being drivenbackwards out of the snowdrift. Additionally, it is advantageous to bendthe flap to the front at its outer edge, because then the snow isdeposited behind this bend while the shovel is pulled back, and thusautomatically raises the flap without any special drive means having tobe provided for this purpose.

The flap can be attached to a hinge frame, which latter is fixedlyjoined to the front end of the shovel, for example by spot-welding.However, the purposes of mass production, it is advantageous topivotally mount the flap in the front part of the sidewalls of theshovel blade, which is most simply done by providing short wide lugsprojecting from the narrow ends of the flap and at the longitudinal sideof-the flap contacting the shovel plane, and that respectively one slot,perpendicular with respect to the shovel plane, is provided in the frontpart of the sidewalls; this slot, in the vertical position of the flap,receives one of the end lugs with ample play. A cutout of the shape of acircular sector adjoins this slot at a spacing from the shovel plane aswell as in the direction of the shovel handle, permitting a returnpivoting the lugs and of the flap into the shovel plane toward theshovel handle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawing shows an embodiment of theshovel according to the present invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofa shovel according to thisinvention, with the shovel handle, which extends toward the right, beingomitted for purpose of simplicity; and

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the same shovel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in greater detail, theblade 1 of a shovel of any desired type is provided with sidewalls 2disposed at right angles to the shovel blade 1 and extending to thestraight front edge 3 of the shovel. The shovel is provided with agenerally rectangular pivotal flap 4 in the proximity of its frontterminal edge 3. The longitudinal side edges 5 and 6 of this flap aredisposed at a slight angle with respect to the central sec- 2 tion ofthe flap and extend approximately in parallel to each other, as shown inFIG., 1. The angled edge portion 6 of the flap which is closest to theshovel plane 7 is extended beyond the narrow sides or end extremities ofthe flap and forms protruding lugs 8 and 9 extending from opposite endsof the flap and projecting into and through openings 10 in the sidewalls2 of the shovel 1. Each of the cutouts or openings 10 in the sidewalls 2consists of a longitudinal slot portion 11 extending perpendicular withrespect to the plane 7 of the shovel, followed by an adjoining apertureportion 14 in the shape of a circular sector in the direction toward thehandle end 12 of the shovel, but having a bottom edge spaced above thebottom edge of the slot portion 11 and spaced above the shovel plane 7by a safety margin 13, permitting a return pivoting of the lugs 8 and 9and the integral flap 4 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 sothat the flap 4 pivots to a position in overlying abutment with theplane 7 of the blade I of the shovel.

As previously indicated, the shovel handle attaches to the shovel blade1 at the portion indicated at 12, and extends away from the blade to theright as viewed in the drawings. The handle has not been shown in thedrawings, for purposes of simplicity, and since it is conventional andforms no part of the invention.

In using the snow shovel of the invention, the flap 4 is folded downinto the plane 7 of the shovel blade 1. In this position the angledlongitudinal edge portion 5 extends somewhat upwardly from the plane ofthe shovel. The shovel blade is pushed along the ground or pavement inthe usual manner in front of the car wheels to remove the snow and thisresults in an accumulation of snow on top of the shovel blade 1. Theshovel is then pulled back, preferably with a somewhat quick motion,causing the snow accumulation on the shovel blade that is between thehandle connection and the upwardly bent edge portion 5 to slide towardthe flap 4, pushing up on the edge portion 5 and thus automaticallypivoting the flap about the lugs 6 and 8 to the upright position, asshown in FIG. 1. In this position, the flap is substantially at rightangles to the shovel blade and functions as a back stop to retain thesnow on the shovel as the shovel is pulled from under the car. The flapthus enables the shovel to function somewhat as a reverse scoop forremoving snow. When the flap 4 is automatically raised it also dumps anysnow that is on top of the flap that might tend to prevent it fromraising, and in addition the flap is also pulled out from under the snowthat accumulates on top of the flap during the forward thrust of theshovel as the shovel is pulled back or rearwardly so that there is noappreciable accumulation of snow on the flap to prevent it from raising.The lower edge of slot portion 11 functions as the pivot point and theupper corner of the front vertical edge of slot 11 functions as a stopto retain the flap at the substantially right angle position with theshovel blade 1.

After the snow is dumped off the shovel, as it is again thrust forwardthrough the snow, the resistance of the snow folds the flap 4 upon theshovel blade 1 as the snow removal operation is repeated.

While the shovel of the invention has been shown and described incertain preferred embodiments, it is real ized that modifications can bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is to beunderstood that no limitations upon the invention are intended otherthan those imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shovel including a shovel blade having a front terminal edge, theimprovement comprising a generally rectangular flap member, upturnedsidewalls on said shovel blade, said sidewalls terminating adjacent saidfront terminal edge, means pivotally connecting the rear of said flapmember transverse of said shovel blade and adjacent the front terminaledge thereof, said flap member having one longitudinal edge adjacentsaid shovel blade in both the flush and raised positions of said flapmember and opposite narrower end portions, lug portions extending fromsaid end portions adjacent said one longitudinal edge, said meansincludes a pivot connection between said lug portions and the frontportion of said sidewalls adjacent said front terminal edge andcomprises one slot respectively in the front portion of said sidewalls,said slot disposed substantially perpendicular to said shovel blade andloosely receiving one of said lug portions in the raised position ofsaid flap member, said slot forming a lock for said lug portion tomaintain said flap member in raised position at substantially rightangles to said shovel blade, a cutout in said sidewall of a circularsector shape adjoining said slot in the direction away from said frontterminal edge, said slot and said sector shape cutout having lower edgeportions wherein the lower edge portion of said sector shape cutout isspaced a greater distance above said shovel blade than the lower edge ofsaid slot, and said sector shape cutout pivotally receiving said lugportion and permitting a pivoting of said lug portion and said flapmember in the direction of said shovel blade, whereby said flap membercan be pivoted from a position overlying said shovel blade in flushrelation upwardly into a raised locking position at an acute angle withsaid blade.

2. A shovel including a shovel blade having a front terminal edge andupturned sidewalls on said shovel blade terminating adjacent said frontterminal edge, the improvement comprising a generally rectangular flapmember having one longitudinal edge at the rear thereof adjacent saidshovel blade and opposite narrower end portions, lug portions extendingfrom said end portions adjacent said one longitudinal edge, meanspivotally connecting the rear of said flap member to said sidewallstransverse of and closely adjacent to said shovel blade and adjacent thefront terminal edge thereof, said means including a pivot connectionwhich includes said lug portions between said flap member and the frontportion of said sidewalls closely adjacent said front terminal edge andthe plane of said shovel blade, said flap member normally pivoted downin a substantially flush overlying position on said shovel blade inwhich position said rear of said flap member is substantially flush withsaid shovel blade, whereby said flap member can be pivoted from saidflush position overlying said shovel blade upwardly into a raisedlocking position at an acute angle with said blade, and said onelongitudinal edge at said rear of said flap member being adjacent saidshovel blade in both the flush and raised positions of said flap member.

3. A shovel as set forth in claim 2 in which said generally rectangularflap member has an outer longitudinal edge portion opposite said pivotalconnection bent in a direction toward the front of said shovel bladewhen in the raised position.

4. A shovel as set forth in claim 3 in which said one longitudinal edgeat the rear of said flap member is bent in a direction substantiallyparallel with said outer longitudinal edge portion.

1. A shovel including a shovel blade having a front terMinal edge, theimprovement comprising a generally rectangular flap member, upturnedsidewalls on said shovel blade, said sidewalls terminating adjacent saidfront terminal edge, means pivotally connecting the rear of said flapmember transverse of said shovel blade and adjacent the front terminaledge thereof, said flap member having one longitudinal edge adjacentsaid shovel blade in both the flush and raised positions of said flapmember and opposite narrower end portions, lug portions extending fromsaid end portions adjacent said one longitudinal edge, said meansincludes a pivot connection between said lug portions and the frontportion of said sidewalls adjacent said front terminal edge andcomprises one slot respectively in the front portion of said sidewalls,said slot disposed substantially perpendicular to said shovel blade andloosely receiving one of said lug portions in the raised position ofsaid flap member, said slot forming a lock for said lug portion tomaintain said flap member in raised position at substantially rightangles to said shovel blade, a cutout in said sidewall of a circularsector shape adjoining said slot in the direction away from said frontterminal edge, said slot and said sector shape cutout having lower edgeportions wherein the lower edge portion of said sector shape cutout isspaced a greater distance above said shovel blade than the lower edge ofsaid slot, and said sector shape cutout pivotally receiving said lugportion and permitting a pivoting of said lug portion and said flapmember in the direction of said shovel blade, whereby said flap membercan be pivoted from a position overlying said shovel blade in flushrelation upwardly into a raised locking position at an acute angle withsaid blade.
 2. A shovel including a shovel blade having a front terminaledge and upturned sidewalls on said shovel blade terminating adjacentsaid front terminal edge, the improvement comprising a generallyrectangular flap member having one longitudinal edge at the rear thereofadjacent said shovel blade and opposite narrower end portions, lugportions extending from said end portions adjacent said one longitudinaledge, means pivotally connecting the rear of said flap member to saidsidewalls transverse of and closely adjacent to said shovel blade andadjacent the front terminal edge thereof, said means including a pivotconnection which includes said lug portions between said flap member andthe front portion of said sidewalls closely adjacent said front terminaledge and the plane of said shovel blade, said flap member normallypivoted down in a substantially flush overlying position on said shovelblade in which position said rear of said flap member is substantiallyflush with said shovel blade, whereby said flap member can be pivotedfrom said flush position overlying said shovel blade upwardly into araised locking position at an acute angle with said blade, and said onelongitudinal edge at said rear of said flap member being adjacent saidshovel blade in both the flush and raised positions of said flap member.3. A shovel as set forth in claim 2 in which said generally rectangularflap member has an outer longitudinal edge portion opposite said pivotalconnection bent in a direction toward the front of said shovel bladewhen in the raised position.
 4. A shovel as set forth in claim 3 inwhich said one longitudinal edge at the rear of said flap member is bentin a direction substantially parallel with said outer longitudinal edgeportion.